More Than a Memory
by bb810
Summary: Korra and Asami were together, but three years ago, Korra left without a word. Now she's back in Republic City with no memory of the last three years, and every memory of their happy relationship. Asami has finally moved on with her life. How will she handle having Korra back in it?
1. Chapter 1

Asami was exhausted. Leaning back in her chair, she stretched her arms over her head and yawned. This was the third day in a row she found herself staying late at the office. Determined to get through all of this paperwork, she ran her hands through her hair and picked up her pen, ready to make changes to this new contract.

About a hundred pen marks later, Asami heard the buzzer from her secretary. "Miss Sato, the Avatar is requesting to see you."

Before she could process what he said, there was a crash through her office doors. Korra, with a blast of air, burst into Asami's office, and stopped short right in front of the desk. Asami shot up from her chair, vaguely aware of her secretary's protests. "It's okay, Lee. It's late, you should be home with your family. Please, close the doors behind you," she said, her eyes never leaving Korra's. Her voice was calm and steady, refusing to show any signs of the whirlwind of emotions she was currently feeling.

They stared at each other, neither one moving an inch. Korra, because she afraid to make the wrong move, and Asami, because she was unwilling to move at all.

Finally, without breaking eye contact, Korra swiftly made her way around the desk to stand in front of Asami. In one fluid motion, she pulled her into an intimate embrace, cradling her head in one hand and holding her around the waist with the other. "Asami," she breathed, closing her eyes and relishing the way she felt in her arms. It was so natural, Korra was finally able to relax for the first time in days.

After a minute, or maybe ten, Asami regained control of her body. She shoved Korra back, creating a safe distance between them. "What the hell, Korra! What are you doing here?" Crossing her arms protectively in front of her, the CEO impatiently waited for the Avatar to respond.

"It's a long story," she started, feeling a mixture of guilt and hurt from being rejected so strongly. "Do you have time?" She looked up at her girlfriend, or, ex-girlfriend now, and saw the anger in her eyes.

"Funny thing is, I gave you three years worth of time, and I got nothing but radio silence. So pardon me if I find it a little hard to give any more to you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." The venom in her voice made Korra flinch. Without breaking stride, Asami went to the door and held it open. "Please leave."

"Asami, wait," she pleaded, trying to get her attention, "you don't understand. Just...just five minutes. Can you give me five minutes?" She grabbed her hand in both of hers and brought it to her chest. Blue eyes imploring green ones, "Please. I can explain everything."

Snatching her hand back, Asami closed the door. "Fine. You get five minutes."

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Korra tried to give her a weak smile. "Okay, well, maybe you should sit down for this. It might-"

"Korra," she said icily, "you have four minutes left." Crossing her arms again, she tapped her foot and narrowed her gaze.

"Okay, okay, sorry." She looked up at the face scowling down at her, and tried to figure out where to start. "A few days ago, I woke up from a coma."

Asami's features began to soften. Even after all this time, the thought of Korra in any kind of pain brought a pang to her heart. Reflexively, she went to comfort her. _Nope, nope, absolutely not. Not going there_. Pulling herself together, she hardened her expression and stared at Korra, stone-faced.

"Apparently, I was in a pretty bad fight with some gang members in the Earth Kingdom and got a boulder to the head." Korra let out a slight chuckle in an attempt to lighten the mood, but stopped and cleared her throat when she saw the less than amused face staring back at her. Keeping her eyes downcast, she recounted the rest of her story. "I was out for about a week, and the healers weren't sure if I was going to wake up. And then I did, and I was so confused, because the last thing I remembered was falling asleep...with you." She looked up at the girl, sheepishly.

Asami's scowl turned into a frown. "That's ridiculous," she huffed. "The last time we were together was over-"

"Three years ago, yeah," Korra finished for her, giving a non committal shrug.

"You're telling me that you can't remember anything within the last three years," Asami asked incredulously. "Nothing?" She was finding it hard to breathe. _Korra didn't remember the last three years._ Panicking, she began to create a timeline in her head. "So that means," she stuttered, "you, you think, we, us we're still..."

"Yup." Boldly, she took a step forward. "Asami, please look at me," she begged softly. When she still wouldn't make eye contact, Korra placed her hand on her cheek, and caressed it softly with her thumb. She heard Asami take a sharp intake of breath. "Please, look at me."

Turning her head slowly, Asami willed herself not to cry. She felt blue eyes searching her own, and felt the three years of heartache run through her.

Korra gently moved her hands to the back of Asami's neck, bringing their foreheads to rest against each other. She breathed in her scent, so familiar and so comforting. She couldn't help but feel the overwhelming sense of completeness, like she was exactly where she belonged. "I am so sorry. I don't,' she paused, trying to find the right words. "I don't know what happened between us. I just know that when I woke up, the only person I wanted to see was you. And I know you probably don't want to see me, although I can't remember why. My parents warned me not to come, but I had to see for myself." She leaned in closer, brushing her lips softly against hers. "But I just don't understand what could have happened to make me stay away from you for three years. Please, help me understand. Because I know how I feel now, and I lo-"

"Don't," Asami whispered, gripping Korra's wrists. "You don't get to waltz back into my life expecting me to act like nothing happened. You might not remember, Korra, but I do." Keeping her voice steady, she backed away from the Avatar. "You need to leave."

Korra gave her a sad nod before turning around to leave.

"Korra, wait." She grabbed her hand, spinning her back around to face her. "I just need time to process this, okay? I'm not mad...I'm...well I don't know what I am. I just," she took a deep breath, "need time."


	2. Chapter 2

"That's the thing, Bo," Korra said through a mouth full of noodles. "I don't remember any of that."

Taking a break from inhaling his food, Bolin looked up from his bowl. "But how does that work? I've been hit in the head plenty of times, and I've never lost my marbles," he said, knocking on his head as if to prove it wasn't easy. "All I'm saying is, maybe there's a reason why you aren't remembering things. Your subconscious is trying to bury something."

"The last memory I have is of coming home after a long day of nothing but boring meetings and going to bed with Asami." Korra began to feel the heat burning through her skin, remembering exactly what they did after getting into bed. Coughing, Korra quickly gulped down her drink, hoping Bolin didn't notice the blush forming on her cheeks.

He raised his brow and gave her a questioning look. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. My drink, it just went down the wrong pipe." Desperately wanting to change the subject, she asked the first thing that came to mind. "Where's Mako?"

"He's working right now. He's been so busy ever since the Chief promoted him to Lead Detective." He slurped up the last of his noodles, and let out a loud belch. "Not that you would remember that, since that was a couple years ago," he said, patting his stomach. "Anyway, I know he wants to see you. He said it's been a while."

"See, that sounds so strange to me. Because in my mind, I just saw both of you two days ago."

"Sorry, pal. Neither of us have seen you since you left. We've exchanged letters and stuff, but that's it." Looking at his best friend, he cleared his throat. "Sooooooo," he started, "there's something I wanted to tell you. I already told you in one of the letters I wrote to you but seeing as you wouldn't remember, it's even better that I can tell you in person! Opal and I are getting married!" A big grin took up his whole face.

"What! No way! Congratulations!" Korra stood up and wrapped her friend in a bear hug. "I'm so happy for you, Bo. That's great news!"

Bolin returned the hug enthusiastically, and lifted her off the ground. "Thanks! It's gonna be so great, Korra. And you'll be here for the wedding..." he trailed off hopefully, looking at her to confirm her attendance.

"Of course I'll be there! I wouldn't miss this for the world!" Looking back down at her feet still floating in the air, she asked, "Uh, Bo? Do you think you could put me down now?"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, sorry!" He placed her back on the ground and patted her shoulders and gave her a sheepish grin. "Opal can't wait to see you, either. None of the airbenders can. You should see Rohan, he's so big!"

The mention of her airbender family instantly flooded Korra with happiness. "Again, so strange. I just saw them yesterday. But I guess it's been longer than that. I better go visit tomorrow." She mentally added that to her list of things to remember. _Ha_.

He hugged her again. "I'm glad you're back. I missed you."

"I know, Bo. I must have missed you, too." She sat back down into her chair, Bolin doing the same. "Do you know what happened? Why I left? Because I'm trying to remember, I'm really trying, and I'm coming up empty handed."

"I really don't, Korra. Nobody knows. Not even Tenzin. We all tried asking you about it in our letters, but you didn't want to talk about it. And we couldn't even mention your name around Asami without her crying." He shrugged and looked away. "Whatever made you leave, well, I'm sure there was a good reason."

Groaning, she put her head in her hands. "I hope so, Bo. I think my leaving hurt a lot of people. I just want to make things right again." Her thoughts instantly went to Asami. She hated this feeling of guilt she's had nestled in her stomach ever since she visited Future Industries.

* * *

"Asami! Over here!" She spotted Mako waving his hand above the crowd to get her attention.

"Detective," she mock saluted when she reached him, laughing at the scowl on his face.

"That happened like six years ago! Doesn't it get old?" He motioned for her to sit in the chair across from his.

"Nope, never," she said, taking her seat. "So how's it going? Make any big arrests lately?"

Putting on his official police persona, he sat up straight. "I'm sorry ma'am, but that is strictly police business." He smirked when he saw the smile tug at her lips. "No, not lately. Things have been pretty slow." He took a sip of the drink he ordered.

Getting the waiter's attention, Asami ordered a coffee.

"Really? A coffee? It's Friday. Don't you want to loosen up," he asked incredulously.

The waiter came back with her coffee, placing it in front of her. "I can't tonight. I have work to do when I get home. There's this new prototype I'm working on for the airbenders," she said as she took a sip of her coffee. She made a face. "This is a little cool. Mind giving me a little help," she asked, holding her cup out to the firebender.

"You work too much, as I've said before. And Bolin. And Opal. And even the Chief," he replied, as he took the cup in his hands and warmed it for her. "Come to the apartment tonight. We're throwing a surprise party for Korra."

The mention of her name made Asami freeze. "Is that really the best idea? I mean, she just got back she'll probably want to have some time to adjust before being surrounded by everyone," she said trying to appear nonchalant, even though her stomach dropped and she felt the urge to cry.

Mako didn't buy it for a second. He knew the woman in front of him was still harboring feelings for the Avatar, even if she didn't want to admit it. "C'mon, Asami. I know it won't be easy for you, but I think this is a great opportunity for you to see her. It'll be on your own terms, surrounded by a room full of supportive people, and you get to leave whenever you want."

"It's not that simple. I just don't think I'm ready for it." Inevitably, her mind went to Korra. Asami knew deep down that she wasn't as "over her" as she claimed to be, but she was left with no choice but to move on.

Putting his hands up in a peaceful gesture, he backed down. "Fine, I won't force you to come. But it's going to be a lot of fun. And Pema is bringing her special Air Nation rice cake." He looked at her, knowing she wouldn't be able to turn down that temptation.

* * *

"Avatar Korra, so great to have you back," Lin said sarcastically, while shoving a gift wrapped box into Korra's hands.

Chuckling, she briefly gave her a hug. "Thanks, Chief. I missed you, too!" Holding the box near her ear, she shook it. "What is this?" Eagerly, she tore the it open, revealing a pair of handcuffs.

"They're platinum. I don't want a repeat of the first time you came to the city. You will apprehend criminals with these, not by bending the street to use as shackles." With a huff, she walked away, mumbling to herself. "I heard Pema's rice cakes were here."

Korra put the handcuffs in one of her pockets and made her way to the living room where Bolin and Meelo were playing an intense game of Pai Sho. She went over and stood next to Opal, who was feigning enthusiasm for the match. "Some things never change," she said, gesturing to the pair who were now having an intense staring match.

"No, they don't," she said laughing, turning her head to face Korra.

Korra sighed. "And some things do. I still can't believe you got your tattoos." She traced the blue marks with her eyes. "I really missed a lot, didn't I?"

Opal threw her arm around her shoulders and brought her into her side. "Yeah, you did. But you're back now, and that's all that matters."

"Thanks, Opal. That means a lot."

* * *

Asami found herself sitting on the curb outside of the brothers' apartment. Her satocycle was parked in front of her, and she was contemplating just hopping right back on it and pretending she was never here. She had her elbows resting on her knees, head in her arms. She really wished she took up Mako's suggestion about having a drink earlier. With a defeated sigh, she raked her hands down her face and got up to go into the house. And then she walked into a brick wall. A brick wall that sent an electric shock up her spine when it grabbed onto her arms to steady her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you-" Korra started to apologize. Recognition dawned on her, and she audibly gulped. "Uh, hi," she said taking a step back. "I was just getting some fresh air. It's a little overwhelming in there."

The engineer offered a small smile. "Yeah, I warned Mako it might be a little too much."

"It's just that everyone here is going on and on about how much they miss me when I feel like I only saw them last week. But then I notice little things, and they just prove that I've been gone a long time. I mean, Mako has a sense of humor now!" Remembering who she was talking to, she immediately started to apologize. "Sorry, I didn't mean to," she trailed off. "I'm trying to respect your need for more time, so I'm going to go over there," she gestured with her hand. "But you look really nice tonight," she said, trying to sound as sincere as possible.

Asami's breath caught in her throat. "Korra," she went to stop the her by putting her hand on the woman's shoulder, but immediately thought the better of it, and dropped her hand back by her side. "You don't have to leave. I was actually just about to go inside. I was just stalling," she laughed nervously.

"Oh, okay. So, uh, I'll see you in there, I guess?" Korra didn't know what to do with herself. She felt uncomfortably vulnerable, so she stuffed her hands in her pockets. Feeling something hard, she pulled out the handcuffs Lin gave her. Suddenly, she felt an intense pressure in her head.

* * *

"What are those," Asami asked her girlfriend with a raised eyebrow, taking her glasses off and placing them on the nightstand.

Korra kicked her shoes off, and crawled onto the bed right next to the girl. "These," she held them up, "are police issued handcuffs."

"I know that, but why are they in our bedroom?" Reaching up, Asami shook her hair out of her ponytail. Getting the desired reaction out of Korra, she took the handcuffs from her. "And why do you have them?" She dangled them in front of the dazed Avatar.

Snapping out of her lustful stupor, Korra snatched them back. "I may have _accidentally_ forgot to leave them at the station today." The classic smirk etched on her face told Asami just how much of an accident it was.

Asami had to admit, she was a little turned on by Korra's recklessness. Slowly, she traced her fingers over Korra's face and stopped at her lips. She replaced her fingers with her own lips. Moving to straddle Korra's lap, she took the handcuffs back. Asami leaned forward and rocked her hips gently, kissing her way up Korra's neck. "I think you need to be punished," Asami whispered seductively into Korra's ear.

* * *

"Korra," Asami shook her gently. "Korra, are you okay?"

Finally, Korra regained her senses. "Asami?"

She had her hands on Korra's shoulders, gripping them tightly. "You scared me. Your eyes opened wide and your whole body went rigid. What happened?"

"I, I think I got a memory back," she said breathlessly.

Asami studied her, feeling both hope and dread flow through her. She wasn't sure if she was ready to handle this, but at the same time, she desperately wanted to know her reason for leaving.

Korra turned her head to avoid eye contact. "It was, uh, our first time using these," she held up the cuffs. Her blush now crept up to her cheeks.

"Ohhhh," was all Asami could say, also turning a deep shade of crimson. Of all the memories Korra lost, she wasn't expecting _that_ to be the first one she recovered. "Uhhh," she let go of the woman in front of her and bit her lip.

"Yeah," Korra agreed, wishing she could think of something to say.

"I think I'm gonna go inside now," the engineer said, trying to ignore the spike of adrenaline and arousal coursing through her veins. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a bag of Seal Jerky. "These are for you," she said as she handed the bag to her. "They are, or were, your favorite."

"Thanks," Korra said, looking up at her. Before she knew what she was doing, she spoke up. "Do you think we could meet again? I know you need space, but I think you're the only person who can really help me regain my memory." She tried not to sound so pitiful, but it was hard to mask the desperation that she felt. "Plus, Naga misses you," she added, not above using Asami's love for her pet to her advantage.

"I'll think about it, okay?" She offered her a small smile before opening the door to go inside. "You look nice tonight, too."


	3. Chapter 3

Meditating. She hated meditating. "I just don't see how this will help," Korra complained. "My mind's already clear - that's the whole problem." Dropping her hands, she looked around. At least Air Temple Island didn't change.

"Shhhhh, just try to relax," Asami hushed her, settled in her own meditation pose. "Tenzin thinks this could help. It can't hurt, anyway."

"Fine. I didn't know you were so in touch with your spiritual side," Korra remarked sarcastically.

"I spent a lot of time on the island. I guess it rubbed off on me. I actually enjoy it," she said matter of factly. "But enough talking - focus."

Korra huffed and resumed meditating. Concentrating on her breathing, she tried to clear her mind. _In. Out. In. Out._ She felt a light breeze on her face, and she caught the scent of something familiar. Inhaling deeply, she tried to place it. It was light and fruity, with a hint of something flowery. Leaning closer to the source of the smell, she soon found herself face to hair with Asami. "Shampoo," she yelled suddenly, startling the other girl out of her pose.

"What the hell!" Asami threw her arms back behind her to try to keep her balance. "What are you talking about?"

"Your shampoo! I remember," she said, smirking. "You went on that business trip to the Fire Nation and you brought back that shampoo. You said it did 'wonders for your hair,'" Korra said rather smugly, forming air quotes with her fingers.

Feeling self conscious, Asami ran her fingers through her hair. "Yeah, well, it still does," she remarked defensively.

Chuckling, Korra leaned back on her arms. "No arguments here." She turned her head to look at Asami. "So, where does that memory fall on the timeline?"

Scrunching her face up in concentration, Asami thought about it. "Well, it was after the uh...handcuffs," she whispered the last part. Clearing her throat, she continued, "but before you left, obviously."

"How long before I left?"

"I'd say about two months before," she said, trying to sound indifferent, hoping Korra didn't notice the slight hitch in her voice.

"Oh," was all Korra said, noticing the change in her demeanor. "Look, I know you said you wanted to help, but you really don't have to," she started. "Not that I don't really appreciate it and not that I don't enjoy spending time with you," she backtracked, realizing how that came out. "I just don't want you to feel obligated to help me. You don't owe me anything." She started to regret asking Asami to help her. She already put her through so much heartache, and the last thing she wanted to do was put her through any more.

Bringing her knees into her chest, Asami wrapped her arms around her legs. "I don't feel obligated to help you. As hard as I tried not to, I still do care about you. I want you to get better." She offered her a sad smile. "If I can help you, then I need to do it. And if you do remember, you can help me understand why you left. Maybe if you can do that for me, I can finally move on."

* * *

Korra was lying on her back, bending a small piece of metal between her hands. The setting sun was casting shadows on her bedroom walls. The conversation from yesterday kept replaying in her head over and over again. _She wants to move on_. Her heart broke every time she thought about it. She was left feeling guilty. Today was the first time she really understood the ramifications of her departure. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she belonged here, belonged with Asami. Putting the piece of metal down on the nightstand, she sat up. Almost on cue, she heard a loud growling noise coming from her stomach.

Naga lifted her head up from the bed she was laying on in the corner, and wagged her tail when her owner spoke to her. "You want to go get something to eat, girl?" Stretching, Naga got up from the bed and made her way over to Korra, putting her head down to be scratched.

Getting the hint, she rested her hand on the dog. "Okay, let's go."

* * *

Sitting outside of her favorite noodle shop, Korra happily slurped her food while sharing some with her pet. "Man, I'm sure glad they didn't change their recipe. These are still the best noodles in Republic City." Finishing up the rest of her meal, she got up to throw it away. She turned around just in time to see Naga take off running across the street, dodging the traffic.

"Naga! Stop!" Frantically, Korra chased after her dog. She quickly bent a wall to stop Naga's process, but the animal easily leapt over it. Cursing loudly, she bent the wall back into the ground, remembering Lin's threats about not messing up the City. Finally, she had an idea. Korra stopped running and jumped up, creating an air scooter underneath her. Controlling the gusts, she sped up, bee lining for Naga. She was catching up to her, when suddenly the dog stopped short. Not able to stop her momentum, she sped past her, catching a glance of someone, before she crashed into a tree.

"Ugh," she groaned, rubbing her forehead. Trying to get up, she felt a sudden wave of dizziness. Immediately, she sat back down.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she heard someone ask, "Korra? Korra? Are you okay?" She knew that voice. _Oh no, anyone but her. Please don't tell me she saw that._

With a little too much enthusiasm, Korra sprang up and leaned against the tree with one arm, trying to appear casual. Her head was throbbing. "Hey," she said, putting on a smile. "Me? I'm okay. I'm great. Perfect." She laughed nervously. "Any chance you didn't see that?"

"None." With that, Asami lost it. She doubled over, clutching at her sides. She wiped the tears from her eyes and apologized. "I'm sorry, Korra. It's just that, you, your face," she laughed again, "I wish you could have seen your face."

As much as Korra loved to see Asami smile, she didn't like it so much when it was at her expense. "Are you done? Naga and I have somewhere to be," she lied, wanting to get away as fast as possible. "Come on, girl." She turned her back to walk away, and noticed the dog didn't follow her. Turning back around, she saw that the huge animal was rolled over, begging for a belly rub from Asami. Pinching the bridge of her nose, Korra let out a deep sigh. "Traitor," she whispered under her breath, trying to ignore the pulsing in her head.

Trying to keep a straight face, Asami bent down to show affection to the dog. When she looked back up, she saw Korra lying on the ground, not moving.


	4. Chapter 4

She heard a quiet groan from the bed. Quickly, Asami got up from her chair and rushed to Korra's side. "Korra, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

"Water," she croaked, keeping her eyes closed.

Asami ran to the bathroom and filled a glass from the sink, immediately bringing it back to Korra.

Opening her eyes, Korra gently moved her hand over the water, making it glow. She manipulated it out of the glass, swirling the stream around her head. After a few minutes, she returned it to the cup and opened her eyes. "That's much better." Taking in her surroundings, she sat up. "Where am I?"

"My house," she replied.

"This isn't your house. I don't recogni -" she stopped. "Oh, you have a new house." Korra looked down at her hands, then at Asami out of the corner of her eye. "I still don't remember anything, quit looking at me like that."

Asami deflated. There was a small piece of her that hoped the bump to her head would bring her memories back. "You collapsed in front of me, so I rode us back here on Naga," she blushed. "I hope that's okay. We weren't too far from here and I thought it would be better than having to get you on the ferry to bring you back to the island." She took a breath. "I radioed Tenzin. He knows you're here. You were out for a while. It's already midnight."

"Midnight!" She tried to get out of bed. "I'm so sorry, Asami. I'm leaving right now. Let me just -"

"No, Korra, it's okay." She placated the girl by placing her hand on her arm. "You can stay here tonight. You _should_ stay here, just in case your head starts hurting again." Realizing she was still touching Korra, Asami quickly pulled her hand back. "If you need anything, I'll be downstairs. I have a few blueprints I need to go over." Before Korra could voice her protest, Asami was out the door.

* * *

Closing the door behind her, she leaned back against it and closed her eyes. _Well, this is going to be a long night._ She climbed down the stairs, one step at a time, fighting against the the urge to turn around. She stopped in the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee. Once it was cool enough to drink, she leaned back against the counter. How did she find herself in this predicament? She rehearsed so many different scenarios in her head just in case she ever saw Korra again. Unfortunately, none of them involved Korra thinking they were still together. And none of them could prepare her for the intense attraction she felt for the girl. That one brief moment of touching her arm set off sparks in her body. "What the fuck am I doing," she muttered to herself, running her hands through her hair.

"Uh, sorry, I was just...I can leave."

Asami looked up at the sound of Korra's voice, and all thoughts flew out of her head. She was dressed in Asami's shorts and tank top, her toned muscles clearly visible underneath the tan skin. She gulped, feeling the blood rushing through her veins, down to her abdomen, and lower still. "No, you don't have to go."

Feeling self conscious, Korra tugged on the bottom of her shorts. "I hope you don't mind that I borrowed some of your clothes. I was a little hot in mine."

Asami picked up her coffee cup with both hands and brought it to her lips. She looked at Korra over the cup with an arched brow. "Don't be sorry. They look good on you." She set the cup back down and cleared her throat. "Do you want some coffee?"

Korra didn't want to stop staring at those lips, but she somehow found the willpower to break her gaze and answer Asami as if she wasn't just blatantly checking her out. "No, thanks. I'll never sleep if I drink some now."

Asami stood there, unsure of what to say next. She was so conflicted. She spent the last three years so angry at Korra, the one that left her, that it was hard not to project that fury onto _this_ Korra, the one that came back. And so she expressed her emotions the only way she knew how: physically.

She launched herself forward, eyes finding Korra's and locking them in. Without another word, she snaked her hands in Korra's hair and brought her lips down to hers. It felt like she was on fire.

If Korra was surprised, she didn't show it. She matched Asami, passion for passion, pushing her against the counter. She brought her lips down to her neck, slowly breathing in her scent.

A low moan escaped from Korra's throat. Asami brought her hand underneath Korra's chin, urging her lips back to hers. Biting her lip gently, she gained entry into her mouth. The familiar feel of her tongue against hers instantly brought a whole new wave of arousal to her body. Asami switched their positions without breaking the kiss, now pinning Korra against the counter. She gripped the edge of the surface, effectively trapping the girl. Slowly, she kissed up the line of her jaw, gently scraping with her teeth, until she reached her ear. She gently sucked on the lobe of her ear, knowing exactly what it would do to the woman in front of her. "Korra," she whispered seductively, "I want you. Upstairs. Now."

Nodding her head ever so slightly, Korra suddenly cupped Asami's backside, lifting her up. Instinctively, Asami wrapped her legs around her waist, returning to her hungry lips. Korra easily made her way to the bedroom, carefully placing her on the mattress, before eagerly sliding her body over Asami.

Without warning, Asami flipped them over. Sitting back, she straddled her hips. She ran her hands to the bottom of Korra's tank top, hastily making their way underneath. She dragged her nails up Korra's torso, making the girl shudder beneath her. Stopping both hands mid journey, she took them out from under her shirt and tugged on the bottom of it. She leaned forward to whisper in her ear again. "Take this off."

Korra was more than happy to oblige. She sat up, yanking her shirt off, and thew it off to the side. Returning her attention to the woman on top of her, she slid her hands up her sides, making their way around her back.

Asami quickly shed her own top, rocking her hips into Korra's. She smashed her lips to hers, molding herself to her body, leaving no space between them. She could feel her body reacting to Korra's touch, getting hotter by the second. Asami lifted herself up for a brief moment to help Korra slide out of her shorts. She slid her hand up between them and found Korra's breast, cupping it roughly, eliciting a moan from her. Needing to hear that sound again, Asami rolled her nipple in between her fingers. The feel of Korra writhing beneath her drove her wild. The need to touch her, to be touched by her, took over.

Suddenly, Korra pushed her back. "Asami, wait," She panted, her lips swollen from being kissed so forcefully.

"I've been waiting, for three years," she stared at Korra, giving her a predatory look. "I'm sick of waiting." With that, she lunged, crushing her lips back to Korra's.

"Hold on a second," Korra said in between kisses, pushing her back once more.

Taking the hint, Asami finally stopped. Pushing herself back against the headboard, she crossed her arms, covering herself. "What's wrong? I know you want me," she said matter of factly. "And I want you, too."

"It's just this," she gestured the space between them with her arms, "isn't what I want."

A confused look crossed Asami's face. "Huh? I don't understand. You seemed pretty into it a few seconds ago."

"No, of course I was into it. I am into it. That's not what I meant." She blew her hair out of her face. "For me, it feels like I was just with you. But for you, it's been over three years. And so I want this to be special," her eyes widened when she realized what she just said. "Not that that wasn't special! It's always special. It just, I don't know how to say it." She crawled up to Asami, taking both of her hands into hers. "I don't want this to be about just sex, or because we both had an itch we wanted to scratch. I want you to know how much I love you." She gently placed her lips to hers, pulling back to look into her eyes. "I understand if you don't believe me, yet. I'm willing to prove it to you." She slowly pulled Asami back down under her, placing both forearms beside her head, careful not to rest on her long black hair.

Asami's heart stopped beating. She fantasized about this moment so many times, she wanted to pinch herself to make sure it was real. "I... what do you want me to say? If I told you that I didn't love you, I'd be lying. But if I told you that I want to love you, I'd be lying, too." Her sad eyes bore into the girl's above her. She caressed her cheek with the back of her hand. "It's easy for you to say that you want to be with me, but what happens when your memory comes back and you remember why you left in the first place? I don't think I'd be able to handle you leaving me again." She ran her hands down Korra's arms, somewhat shocked with herself for finally voicing her biggest fear.

"I can't tell you why I left," Korra told her softly, "but I swear, I won't leave you again. Not after seeing how much pain I've caused." She bent her head forward, kissing both cheeks and then her lips. "Let me show you how much I love you."

"Shhh," Asami placed her finger on Korra's lips. "Don't make promises you can't keep. We'll figure this out in the morning. But for tonight, I want you to make me forget the past three years."

Asami welcomed the change in pace, savoring every flick of Korra's tongue against her skin. She let out a deep sigh when she reached her chest, feeling the warmth from her mouth against her hardened nipples. It just felt so good.

Taking her time, Korra carefully explored Asami's body, mapping out every mark with her lips. She explored lower and lower, until she reached the top of her pants. Dipping her hand inside, she watched her green eyes cloud with lust as she circled her clit with her finger. Korra pulled her hand away, tugging down Asami's pants. Settling in between her legs, she slowly kissed her way up the inside of her thigh. Nipping lightly, she felt Asami's hands in her hair, pulling her to where she wanted her the most.

"Korra," she half moaned half begged, "please don't tease me." Suddenly, Asami felt the broad strokes of Korra's tongue on her, causing her to shudder against her mouth. She grabbed onto the headboard, knuckles turning white.

Without stopping, Korra slowly slid her fingers inside of Asami, groaning when she felt how wet she was. She curled her fingers, thrusting them deep inside, pushing her closer and closer to the edge. She could feel Asami start to tighten around her fingers, her breathing getting heavier and heavier. Knowing how close she was, she stopped mid lick to look at her. "Asami," she breathed, "look at me."

Opening her eyes, she looked down to see Korra, pupils blown with desire. Her tan face flushed with passion, making her look even more beautiful than she remembered.

"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere," she whispered, kissing right below her naval, her fingers continuing to thrust in and out. "Come for me."

On command, Asami felt a white flash of heat travel through her body, she could feel her walls clenching in a continual rhythm. Crying out, she grabbed Korra's hair, keeping her there until it was over. _Holy shit_. Throwing her arm over her eyes, she felt a slow smile start to tug at her lips. She felt Korra slide up the side of her body, wrapping her arms around her middle.

Resting her head against her bare chest, Korra snuggled into the girl, letting the scent that was lingering on her skin wash over her. "I love you," she said softly.

Running her fingers through her brown hair, Asami kissed the top of her head. When she spoke, she tried to convey all the emotion in through her voice. "I really missed you."

* * *

Asami woke up to the birds chirping outside of her window. Yawning, she rolled on her side, and reached out her arm to touch the woman in her bed. Instead, she was met with nothing but a cold pillow. Bolting upright, she frantically searched around the room. "Korra?"

There was nothing but silence. Quickly throwing on her robe, she ran down the stairs, heart pounding through her chest, searching for Korra. Nothing. Even Naga was gone. Collapsing on the couch, Asami tried to steady her breathing. She felt the pieces of her heart that were just recently put together shatter into a million more pieces. _I can't believe she did this to me again._

"Fuck it," she said out loud, standing up. "I'm not going through this again." She was furious.

Finding her portable device, she radioed Air Temple Island. "Jinora? Hi, it's Asami. Is Korra there? Oh, she is? May I speak with her? Thanks." She heard a shuffle noise and then her voice.

"Asami, listen," she started.

"No, Korra, you listen. You feed me all these promises of never leaving me, and the first chance you get you're gone. Who does that! I'm so mad at you, I don't even kn-"

"Asami!" she yelled, cutting her off. "I remember everything."


	5. Chapter 5

Silence. "Asami? Are you still there?" Korra pressed the radio against her ear, listening for any kind of sound from the other end.

"Was it for a good reason," she whispered, so softly that Korra almost didn't hear her.

"Yes, it was." She let out a ragged breath and combed her hand through her hair. Korra knew it was impossible, but she hoped Asami could pick up on the waves of love and affection she was trying to send over the radio.

"Are you going to leave again?"

Korra winced at the question, and felt a mixture of guilt and anger and most of all, sadness, flow through her heart. "Yes."

"Goodbye, Korra." The line went dead.

"Damn it!" She slammed the receiver down, fighting back the tears spilling from her eyes.

* * *

"Asami? Are you still there?"

Snapping out of it, she gave an apologetic smile to Opal. "Yeah, sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night. I had a lot of paperwork to look over."

Opal didn't miss the vacant stare her friend wore a couple of seconds ago, but she thought it best not to mention it. "That's okay. I really appreciate you helping me set up for the wedding. I'm trying to remain calm but the more I think about it the less time I realize I have."

She smiled at her friend again, this time it reached her eyes. "Well, if you're looking for someone with impeccable time management skills, you've come to the right person. Don't worry about it, everything will get done. I'll make sure of it." She gave her a wink, and went back to arranging the flowers on the tables.

The sun's rays were beating down on Asami, and it was refreshing to feel the warmth wash over her skin. She pulled her hair up and out of her face, looking out towards the water. She was excited for the wedding. It was all Bolin could talk about. Even Mako was excited. And it was a great distraction from thinking about Korra. Sort of.

"So, Korra is going to be at the wedding," Opal said innocently, trying to gauge her friend's reaction. "She bought a dress and everything."

"Oh? That's nice," she answered, hoping she could read in between the lines and pick up on the fact that she really did not want to talk about Korra at all.

"Yeah, Bolin and I are just really excited that she's going to be there..." she trailed off, waiting for any sort of reaction from Asami. When none came, she went over to her friend and placed a comforting hand on her back. She felt Asami stiffen under her touch, but she didn't back down. "Okay, I get it. I know you don't want to talk about her, but _not_ talking about her doesn't help you, either, and I never want to see you hurting like that again. So I'm just going to round this up by saying: I love Korra, and I'm not so secretly hoping that you two get your fairy tale ending, but I love you just as much, and I promise that I'll always be here for you if it turns out you don't."

* * *

Asami threw herself into her latest project. Usually, when she was upset, working with her hands would help take her mind off of things, but even this wasn't helping. Giving up, she wiped the grease off her hands with a nearby towel and decided to treat herself to a bath. She ran the hot water and used the special bath soap she got from the Fire Nation along with her shampoo. Sinking in, she tried to will herself to relax.

 _It happened again. How could she let this happen again?_ Asami liked clear cut boundaries. Yes or no; black or white; right or wrong. Those well defined lines she could work with. Those she could handle. It was why she was so good at her job. She forgot just how muddled those lines could get when it came to Korra.

And it really pissed her off, too. She was making progress. She no longer bought every newspaper or magazine that mentioned the Avatar, just to try to see if she could piece together where she was. She no longer cried herself to sleep every night, praying that she would just come back home. She even packed away all of the things Korra left behind, without shedding one single tear. If that wasn't progress, she didn't know what was. And all of that, three years of heart breaking progress, down the drain, just like that.

* * *

Mako found Korra sitting on the ledge of the cliff, watching the sun set. Taking a seat beside her, he let out a deep sigh. "So," he said, bumping his shoulder to hers, "the wedding is tomorrow. Are you bringing a date?"

Korra turned her head to face him and chuckled. "Hate to break it to you Mako, but I don't think the phrase 'third time's the charm' is going to really work out for us."

"What! No! That's not where I was going with that," he said in exasperation, face turning bright red. "I was talking about Asami!"

Korra's shoulders slumped. "Oh...no, I don't think that's a good idea." She willed herself not to cry, and looked out towards the horizon.

Mako graciously looked away, pretending he didn't see her hastily wipe a tear from her eye. "Why won't you tell us why you left? At least me?" He followed her gaze out towards the sky, not wanting to make eye contact.

"I just can't. Not yet, anyway." She looked at him, hoping he could hear the sincerity in her voice. "Please, just trust me on this? This isn't easy for me, either."

"Not easy for you? Korra, you left us without any word, any warning. Asami wouldn't even -"

"Stop!" Korra stood up quickly, her anger getting the best of her. "I get it, okay? I hurt a lot of people. You, Bolin, Opal, the Airbenders - you don't have to tell me that. _I know._ You don't think I know how she feels? How much she's hurting?" She took a step towards him, trying to keep her voice from cracking. "Of course I do, because I'm feeling all of those things, too!"

Mako jumped up, wrapping her in a warm embrace. "Okay," he soothed, "I trust you. If you can't tell anyone, I won't push you." He took a step back, keeping his hands on her shoulders and searching her eyes. "I just...I care about Asami." When he saw the confusion in Korra's eyes, he dropped his hands into a peaceful gesture. "Not like that, Korra," he placated. "After you left, she didn't take it well, obviously. And I was there for her. Strictly as a friend," he added, just to make sure he was being clear. "I'm not saying it wasn't easy for you, Korra. I'm just saying that I know how hard it was for her, and I'd rather not see her go through it again. And I really want you to know that whatever it is you're going through, I can be there for you, too."


End file.
